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The IGAD climate centre has forecast heavy rainfall in South Sudan and several other countries in the region between March and May.

According to the seasonal outlook, South Sudan has a 45 percent chance of receiving above-average rainfall in most parts of the country, while the eastern and western regions face a 40 percent probability of near-normal rainfall.

The IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center also known as ICPAC said some localized areas of South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia may also experience a delayed onset of the rainy season.

Elsewhere in the region, near-normal rainfall is expected in north-eastern and south-western Kenya, most of Somalia, coastal Tanzania, and isolated areas of Uganda and Ethiopia.

At the same time, wetter-than-normal conditions are forecast for parts of Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Ethiopia, northern Somalia, and Djibouti.

However, ICPAC cautioned that dry spells may still occur even in areas predicted to receive near-normal or above-normal rainfall.

The climate centre also warned that irregular dry periods are possible in regions forecast to experience near-normal or below-normal rainfall.